DANVILLE — Things change all of the time, but one consistency in Big 12 Conference football the past two years has been the Danville Vikings.

Back-to-back undefeated conference championships and consecutive appearances in the IHSA Class 6A semifinals have raised the bar of expectations for the Vikings.

“People ask you if you can do the same thing again or go further,’’ Danville coach B.J. Luke said. “I think this team can be that type of team we’ve had the past two years — it has that type of potential.

“Whether it does or not, is going to depend on how things come together. And, how our kids answer the bell.’’

Having higher expectations is something this group of Vikings relish.

“We want to get to that same point again, but we also want to exceed it by winning a state title,’’ said Danville senior linebacker Devin Lewis.

And Guy Rowell, the Vikings’ leading tackler in 2010, said, “we are confident. We are trying to win the conference for the third straight year.

“We just simply want to be the best that we can be,’’ he said. “You always want a little more, so we have do what ever it takes to get that state title.’’

A year ago, the Vikings knew they had a bull’s eye on their backs and they still had a perfect record in Big 12 Conference play, matching the accomplishment of the 1970 and 1971 Danville teams of Paul Shebby.

Ironically, an all-state guard on those teams was current Danville coach B.J. Luke.

“Now, that we have won 19 straight in the conference there is probably even a bigger target on our backs,’’ said Danville senior guard James Seyfert, referring to the Vikings Big 12 Conference win streak. “Our goal is to get it to 28 games. We like the fact that everyone is out to get us.

“We have to keep on pushing and make them chase us. We don’t want to drop down to their level.’’

And while this team enters the season with the same goal of the two previous conference champions, Luke is quick to point out it’s not the same team.

“We are different team than our other teams,’’ he said. “Just like last year was different the one before it — this one has different strengths and personalities.’’

In the 2009 season, Danville claimed the league title with a defense that earned the moniker “Meat House.” That squad held opponents to just 9.8 points per game to just 169.8 yards a contest. And offensively, they didn’t have a single back break the 1,000-yard mark.

A year ago, the Vikings high-powered offense averaged 43.6 points a contest and they had 446 yards of total offense per game. Hightower and running back Eddie Clark were both over 1,000 yards as they combined to run for 3,208 yards and 43 scores.

So what does that mean for this year?

“We have the tools to have just as good of an offense as we had last year,’’ Hightower said. “And with linebackers coming back like Guy Rowell and Devin Lewis, I really think our defense can be just as good as the “Meat House” team.’’

Hightower should know as he was a key member of both teams. A year ago, he rushed for 1,263 yards and 21 touchdowns, while completing 54 percent of his passes (78-144) for 1,725 yards and 24 scores.

“He did all of that and he also played defense,’’ said Luke, pointing out that Hightower 33 tackles and 11 pass breakups a year ago. “It’s a big year in Illinois for quarterbacks. We have a guy going to Oklahoma State (Rochester’s Wes Lunt), and there are guys going to Big Ten schools. But, I wouldn’t trade my guy for any of them.

“I believe in him that much. He is a playmaker. He is a tough kid. That is a good place to build around.’’

Hightower has also had to take on a bigger leadership role this year with the graduation of Justin March, who is attending Akron on football scholarship.

And, even the coach, was a little worried about the leadership roles.

“I had lunch with Justin before he took off for Akron a few weeks ago,’’ Luke said. “We were talking about this year’s team, and it was neat listening to Justin. I told him that I need some of the seniors to step up and he told me that ‘Dennis and those guys will take care of that stuff.’

“That is what happens. Kids grow into those roles and they take their turns. I felt better after Justin told me to relax and I feel good knowing that our kids are going to step up into those roles.’’

While it seems like the leadership question has been answered, there is still one more that Luke is trying to find a solution.

Last year, seniors D’Lando Carter and Joey Robinson came off the basketball court to give the Vikings a 1-2 punch at the receiver spot.

Carter and Robinson, both playing football for the first time, combined for 1,079 receiving yards on 53 receptions and they had 17 touchdowns.

So far this season, Danville has had Martez Davis, Daniel Carter, Justin Robinson and James Brown rotating into those positions.

“We don’t know what we’ve got exactly,’’ Luke said. “We are kind of in the same spot as last year. We have quality athletes there and we have kids that can run and jump.

“They are bigger than last year’s group, but we don’t know what they are going to be like until the bell rings on Friday night.’’

The first challenger for the Danville Vikings will be the Urbana Tigers, who are coming off a 3-6 season.

Kickoff this Friday night at Ned Whitesell Field is set for 7 p.m.

Danville Vikings

Coach — B.J. Luke

2010 Record — 12-1

Schedule

Date     Opponent    Time

Aug. 26    Urbana *    7 p.m.

Sept. 2    at Mattoon *    7 p.m.

Sept. 9    at Bloomington *    7 p.m.

Sept. 16    Champaign Centennial *    7 p.m.

Sept. 23    Normal West *    7 p.m.

Sept. 30    at Decatur Eisenhower *    7 p.m.

Oct. 7    Decatur MacArthur *    7 p.m.

Oct. 14    at Champaign Central *    7 p.m.

Oct. 21    at Normal Community *    7 p.m.

* — Big 12 Conference games

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